Rail-joint.



PATENTED OCT. 17, `1905.

C. B. RUSH. RAIL JOINT. APPLIcATioN FILED JUNE 24, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 17, 1905.

Application filed June Z4, 1905. Serial No. 266,906.

To all 'whom it may concern.-

Be it known thatI. CHARLES B. RUSH, a citi- Zen of the United States of America, residing at Chicora, in the county of Butler and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvementsin rail-joints; and the object of the invention is to provide novel means for firmly retaining the confronting ends of two rail-sections together, whereby one of said rail-sections cannot become displaced independently of the other section.

My invention aims to dispense with the use of the ordinary nuts and bolts commonly employed for securing fish-bars to the web portions of rails to retain them in close proximity to one another. I have devised novel means for bracing and supporting the heads of two rails and for forming a substantial foundation for the bases of the rails upon cross-ties or a suitable road-bed. In this connection I have also devised novel means for preventing longitudinal movement of one rail-section independent of the other, this means also serving to prevent vertical displacement of the rails.

The invention finally consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described and then specifically pointed out in the claims, and, referring to the drawings accompanying this application, like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved rail-joint. Fig. 2 isa vertical sectional view illustrating means for fastening the same to a tie. Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating an interlocking feature of my improved railjoint. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the fish-bars of my improved rail-joint. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a base or bed plate used in connection with the joint. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one end of a railsection constructed in accordance with my invention. v

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated two ties 1 and 2 as supporting my improved rail-joint, said rail-joint being adapted to lock the confronting ends 3 and 4 of two rails together.

The rail-joint consists of a base or bed plate 5, which is substantially rectangular in top plan view. Thelongitudinal edges ofthe baseplate 5 are provided with upwardly-extending ribs 6 6, having inclined faces 7 7. The baseplate 5 is provided with a plurality of apertures 8, which are arranged in groups of two, and the object of these apertures will be presently described. In connection with the base plate 5 I employ two fish-bars, each bar con-v sisting of a base portion 8 and an inwardlyextending web portion 9, which web portions are adapted to embrace the web portions 10 lO of the rails. The base portions 8 8 of the bars form a seat for the base portions 11 11 of the rails, and the outer edges of each base portion are provided with beveled faces 12.12, adapted to engage the inclined faces 7 7 of the base-plate 5. The web portions 9 9 of the fish-bars are adapted to embrace the web portions 10 10 of the rails and form a support for the heads of said rails. At the juncture of the web portions 9 9 and the base portions 8 8/ I provide vertically-disposed apertures or openings 14 14, which are adapted to aline with the openings or apertures 8 of the base-plate 5 when the fish-bars are positioned upon said plate. Spikes 15 are employed for retaining the fish-bars upon the base-plate 5, also for retaining the base-plate and rails upon the ties 1 and 2.

When dispensing with the ordinary nuts and bolts employed for retaining fishbars in engagement with the rails 3 and 4, I employ the openings 16 16 of the rail-sections for preventing longitudinal displacement ofthe rails. To accomplish this, I provide one of the iishbars with outwardly-extending pins or lugs 17 17, which are adapted to extend through the openings 16 16 of the rails 3 and 4 and engage in recesses 18, formed in the opposing fish-bars.

I desire to call particular attention to the beveled and inclined faces of thefish-bars and base-plate 5, these inclined faces being employed to prevent lateral displacement of either one of the jfish-bars by a strain or force exerted upon the heads of the rails 3 and 4. For instance, when rolling-stock is passing over the rails should the weight of the same have a tendency to spread the rails it will be impossible for the heads of the rails to move laterally owing to the web portions 9 of the fish-bars engaging the heads and being braced by the longitudinal ribs 6 6 of the base-plate. Should the heads of the rails 3 and 4 be moved independent of the bases of said rails by'a force exerted upon the heads of said rails, the

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heads of said rails will be immediately braced by one or the other of the fish-bars, the same depending upon which side of the rails the force is exerted. No matter which side the force is exerted upon the rails will be supported by the longitudinally-disposed ribs 6 6 of the base-plate. I preferably incline the faces 7 7 of the base 5 at right angles to the approximate direction at which the force will be exerted, whereby said faces will form a substantial backing for the fish-bars and the rails which they embrace.

It is thought from the foregoing that the construction, operation, and advantages of the herein-described rail-joint will be apparent without further description, and various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the Spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination with two rails adapted to be joined together, of a base-plate, longitudinally-disposed ribs carried by the edges of .said plate, said ribs having inclined faces, fishbars adapted to embrace said rails and seat upon said base-plate, said fish-bars consisting of base portions extending under the base of the rail and seating upon said base-plate and web portions, the outer edges of said base portions having beveled faces adapted to engage the inclined faces of said base-plate, pins carried by one of said fish-bars and adapted to extend through the web portions of said rails, substantially as described.

2. The combination with two rails adapted to be joined together, of a base-plate, ribs carried by the longitudinal edges of said baseplate, said ribs having inclined faces, fish-bars embracing said rails, said fish bars being formed with base portions extending under the bases of the rails,'and adaptedto seat upon said base-plate, the longitudinal edges of said fish-bars having beveled faces adapted to engage said inclined faces, pins carried by one of said fish-bars and adapted to engage said rails, and means to secure said fish-bars and base-plate together upon a suitable support, substantially as described.

3. The combination with adjacent rail-sections, of a base-plate having ribs on its edges, fish-bars having base portions seated on said base-plate and extending under the bases of the rails, said fish-bars bearing at their outer edges against said ribs and means for securing said fish-bars and said base-plate to crosstles. y

In testimony whereof I aflix my signatu re in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES B. RUSH.

Witnesses:

WM. S. RUMBAUGH, A. FLEEGER. 

